Oliver willcox



(No Model.)

0. WILLOOX.

BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE.

No. 404,141. Patented May 28, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER WILLOOX, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR OF- ONE-HALF TO ROBERT A.CHESEBROUGH, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y.

BOTTLE-WASHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,141, dated May 28,1889.

I Application filed November 16, 1888. Serial No. 291,055. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, OLIVER WILLCOX, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have invented a new andusefulImprovementinBottle-\VashingMachines,

' of which the following is a specification, refcrence being had to theaccompanying drawings.

I will describe in detail a bottle-washing machine embodying myimprovement, and then point out the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of abottle-washing machine embodying my improvement, one side of the case orbox in which the same is contained being removed. Fig. 2 is an edge viewof the same, the side of the box or case being also removed. Fig. 3 is adetail in perspective, and on a larger scale, showing a certain part ofawheel comprised in the machine and hottles arranged therein.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

The machine consists, essentially, of a rotary wheel in which thebottles are arranged to be washed.

A designates a shaft upon which the washing-wheel is supported and bywhich the wheel is rotated.

13 designates hubs for the wheel. These hubs are of spider-likeconstruction and are provided with inwardly-tapering or wedgeshapedrecesses a.

O C designate spokes for the wheel. These spokes are provided withinwardly-tapering or wedge-shaped inner ends, which fit within theinwardly-taperin g or wedge-shaped recesses a of the hubs B and extendradially from the axis of the wheel. They may be secured in saidrecesses by bolts b, passing through the hubs and the inner ends of thespokes. Metallic bands 0 may be bolted to the spokes and serve to braceor stay them against tangential displacement. The spokes O are at somedistance from the spokes C, so that there may be a space between the twosets of spokes. As shown, motion is transmitted to the shaft by means ofgear-wheels D D, deriving motion from the belt-pulleys D D The bottlesto be washed are arranged upon trays E. These trays E comprise metallicframes, (shown as rectangular,) and wire-netting or some similarmaterial secured upon the frames, so as to form a bottom for the trays.Upon one of the side edges of each of the spokes O O are bolted orotherwise secured plates 6. The plates 6 extend toward each other andconstitute ways or slides along which the trays may be slid to besupported while arranged on the spokes.

One of the trays having been filled with the desired number of bottleshaving their mouths extending upwardly, I move downwardly upon the topsof the bottles a securo5 ing device, F, here shown as a screencomprising a metallic frame and wire-netting or similar material securedthereto. This screen is adjustable toward and from the tray, in

order to accommodate bottles of different heights. I have shown the endsof the frames as provided with screws extending through slots din thesides of the spokes O C. By loosening clamp-nuts d, with which the saidscrews are provided outside the spokes, the screens may be raised orlowered, as desired,

and by again tightening the clamp-nuts may be secured in position. Inorder to prevent the bottles from being moved outwardly by centrifugalforce during the rotation of the being thrown out while the wheel isrotated. 90

I have shown a bar, 9, extending between the spokes O O of each pair,and a hook, g, depending from said bar and adapted to engage the gate,in order to secure it in position.

I have shown eight pairs of spokes C O; 5

but it is to be understood that I may use any desired number of pairs ofspokes, and it is also to be understood that when the machine is inoperation there is a tray of bottles arranged upon each pair of thespokes in the I00 manner described.

The washing-wheel rotates in a tank or case,

The gate may be moved in one di- H, in the lower portion of which wateris contained to substantially the height illustrated in the drawings. Ihave shown the lower portion of the tank or case as inwardly contracted,so as to form a comparatively narrow space through which the wheelrotates. In Fig. 1 I have shown at one side of the tank or case a door,I, by which access may be had to the wheel. When it is desired to loador unload the spokes, the wheel is rotated to bring each pair of spokessuccessively opposite this door. The tray of washed bottles is thenremoved and a fresh tray of unwashed bottles inserted, the

retaining-screen moved to the desired position if its alteration inposition should be necessary, and the gate again secured in place. Thewheel is then rotated to bring the next pair of spokes opposite thedoor, and so on.

Assuming that the wheel is rotating in the direction shown by the arrowin Fig. 1, it will be seen that the tray of unwashed bottles will bepresented opposite the door I with the mouths of the bottles upwardly.When the wheelis fully loaded, it is set in rotation. The bottles thenpassing around present their open mouths to the water in the bottom ofthe box or .case, whereby the water is violently agirated and theinsides of the bottles are thoroughly washed. When the bottles leave thewater, they will of course be full. As they pass upwardly and assume aposition at the top of the tank or case, where their lengths areextending horizontally, a portion of the contained water of con rseisspilled-"out. This water runs down from the upper of the bottles overand around the bottles which arebeneath. When the wheel is rotatedalittle farther, all the water is dashed out from the bottles upon thebot-toms and sides of the bottles contained in the next preceding tray.flheseoperations being repeatedfor a few times, the

bottles will be thoroughly washed-both inside 5 prevented. It comprisesa lever fulcru'med upon a stud, j, extending from the case or box,

and provided with a tooth, 3*, adapted to engage notches in a wheel, J,keyed upon the shaft A.

WhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a bottle-washing machine, the combination, with a tank, of arotary wheel arranged in said tank, spokes comprised in said wheel,trays for containing the bottles arranged upon "the spokes, and screensfor maintaining the bottlesupon the trays during the rotation of thewheel, substantially as specified.

2. In a bottle-washingmachine, the-combination, with a tank, of a rotarywheel arranged in said tank, spokes comprised in said wheel, trays forcontaining the bottles arranged upon the spokes, and adjustable screensfor maintaining the bottles upon the trays during the rotation of thewheel, substantially as specified.

3. In a bottle-washing machine, the co-1nbi-' trays arranged on saidspokes for holding the bottles, screens for maintaining the bottlesuponthe trays during the rotation of the wheel,"and gates for preventingthe trays and bottles from being thrown outwardly by centrifugal force,substantially as specified.

OLIVER WILLCOX.

Witnesses FREDK. I-IAYNEs, JOHN BICKER.

